Have abandoned Irish horses entered the food chain?

The first step to solving this equine issue some suggest is a cull. "Horse slaughter is a contentious issue for horse people because in Ireland we have a tremendous affinity with the horse. Unfortunately, there may not be a more practical solution," said James Murphy, of the Irish Farmers' Association to the Irish Times.

But, ultimately, to eliminate the likelihood of horse meat and, more importantly, tainted horse meat from the Irish food chain, experts purport that a central system of governance -- a comprehensive, integrated system for the registration, identification and tracing of equidae in Ireland -- is required.